India’s school infrastructure presents a mixed picture of progress and persistent challenges, as highlighted in the Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) 2023-24 report. While over 90% of schools have basic amenities like electricity and gender-specific toilets, advanced facilities such as functional desktops, internet access and ramps with handrails remain limited.
Only 57.2% of schools have functional computers, 53.9% have internet, and 52.3% are equipped with ramps, underscoring significant gaps in accessibility and tech readiness.
The enrolment landscape has seen changes, with total number of students down by 37 lakh to 24.8 crore in 2023-24. Boys account for 51.9% of enrolments and girls 48.1%. The shift from aggregated school-level data to individual student records, facilitated by Aadhaar-linked unique educational IDs, is a step forward. “Student-wise data gives a more accurate picture of the education system,” said a ministry official, adding that the new methodology may partly account for the observed variations.
This approach marks a departure from the earlier school-level aggregated data, enhancing the monitoring of progression and retention. The introduction of unique educational IDs alongside Aadhaar aims to streamline beneficiary identification for government schemes, reducing duplication and promoting equitable resource distribution.
Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) reveals disparities across educational levels. While the preparatory level boasts a GER of 96.5%, the foundational level is at a mere 41.5%. Middle and secondary levels are at 89.5% and 66.5%, respectively. Dropout rates also rise sharply at higher education levels, from 5.2% in middle school to 10.9% at the secondary stage. Retention rates reflect a similar trend, plummeting from 85.4% at the preparatory level to just 45.6% at the secondary stage.
Disparities among states further complicate the picture. West Bengal has 79% foundational and preparatory schools but only 11.6% secondary schools, creating a risk of higher dropout rates. Conversely, Chandigarh’s 75.6% secondary schools indicate a focus on higher education but highlight a shortage of foundational institutions at 6.1%. Infrastructure gaps and teacher deployment issues exacerbate these challenges. “Despite efforts under NE, infrastructure gaps hinder our progress toward universal education. Optimising resources is key to meeting the ambitious targets for 2030,” the ministry official added.
Teacher deployment and pupil-teacher ratio (PTR) remain critical issues. Several states, including Jharkhand, Bihar, and West Bengal, exceed NEP-recommended PTR of 30:1 at the secondary level. In contrast, Delhi and Chandigarh have optimal PTRs aligned with NEP norms. However, states such as Assam, Odisha, and Karnataka face underutilised infrastructure due to low student-to-school ratios.
NE prioritises inclusion and equity, and UDISE+ data offers a snapshot of representation. Girls constitute 48.1% of total enrolments, and minorities account for 20%, with Muslim students representing 79.6% of this group. Social category data shows that 45.2% of students belong to the OBC category, followed by 18% SC and 9.9% ST students. Aadhaar seeding stands at 79.4% nationally, but states like Meghalaya (24.1%), Bihar (38.8%), and Manipur (51.8%) lag, which could impact targeted interventions.
“Universal access to education and reducing dropout rates by 2030 is a primary goal of NE and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” the report states. Aadhaar-linked educational IDs enhance dropout tracking and re-enrolment efforts while streamlining governance for schemes like Samagra Shiksha and PM POSHAN.
Despite strides in foundational enrolment, transition rates between educational stages remain uneven. While 98.1% of students progress from foundational to preparatory levels, only 83.3% transition from middle to secondary education. These statistics underscore systemic challenges in retaining students and ensuring smooth educational progression. The UDISE+ report serves as a call to action for optimising infrastructure, improving teacher deployment, and addressing disparities in enrolment and retention. These measures are essential for realising NEP’s vision of equitable and inclusive education by 2030.
